Improvement in car and other springs



J. W. COCHRAN.

Car Spring.

Patented Dec. 20, 1870.

UNITED STATES JOHN V. OOOHRAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR AND OTHER SPRINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 110,204, dated December20, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. OooHRAN, of the city, county, and State ofNew York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car and otherSprings, of which the following is a a nest of metallic spiral springs,the inner one of which is supported internally by a tubular column madeto project from the one head or base, and each spring separated from theother by a longitudinally split or divided expansive tube or shield. Theother head of the spring has a close or solid stem, which is made toenter within the tubular column of the opposite head or base, to act asa guide in the workin g of the entire spring, and which acts upon aspring arranged within said column, such inner spring being composed ofa cylindrical tubular piece or pieces of india-rubber. Acombination-sprin g thus constructed is quick, powerful, and durable,and the separate springs of which it is composed are supported againstlateral twist or bend and from running into each other, although theseparate spirals prings be coiled, if desired, in like directions.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents the one head or baseof a railroadcar spring, and A the opposite head thereof.

" These heads, which may be made of cast-iron,

are recessed on their inside faces to receive within and between them anest of spiral metal springs,B O, of which there maybe any desirednumber. These separate springs must be composed of difi'erentthicknesses of wire, the outer springor springs beingthe stoutestandmaking a less number of coils than the inner one or ones. They mayall, however, be coiled in the same direction, and when two or more areused they are prevented from running the one into the other by theinterposition between them of a longitudinally split or dividedexpansive loose tube or shield, D, that also serves to support thesprings against lateral twist or bend; but this latter action is moreprominently and effectually guarded against by the arrangementoftheinnerspiral spring around the tubular col umnE, which may becastwith or fast to the one head or base A, and which forms a'firincentral core or support for the several springs, likewisewhich-constitutes a box or socket for a close or solid central stem orplunger, F, that projects from the opposite head, A, to work within, andwhereby the spring, as a whole, is guided and steadied in its action.

Said tubular column E is also used to hold within it a central spring,G, of rubber, in the shape of a hollow cylinder, against which, aftercompression of the spiral spring, the stem F is caused to bear, thusgiving a firm and elastic action at the center, which relieves andassists the outer nest of springs. This central spring, Gr, beingexternally bound by the hollow column E, can only during its compressionundergo a closing action, which gives it an immense sustaining force,that will protect the spiral springs against shutting or exhausting,while the latter quicken and give life to the rubber spring, which isshielded in a reliable and positive manner from the outside springs bythe tubular column.

Either head A or A may be made the moving one in the spring, or both bemade movable, and the spring reversed or arranged to occupy any suitableposition.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is--A car-spring consisting of two or more concentric spiral springs, onewithin the other, the central rubber spring, G, constructed to act alsoas an air-cushion, and the dividingcylinders D and E, all arranged andoperating substantially as shown and described.

J. W. OOOHRAN.

Witnesses:

FRED. HAYNES, It. E. RABEAU.

